ITER plasma-facing components developed by Amentum, demonstrating expertise in advanced materials, component engineering, manufacturing and qualification.

Images courtesy of ITER Organisation

Liquid lithium corrosion rigs at Amentum's laboratories in Warrington

Advancing fusion through technology development and testing

Amentum's 20,000 m² UK laboratories support advanced materials testing, experimental engineering, robotics, fuel-cycle technology development and component qualification.

A key example is the Liquid Lithium Test Facility at Birchwood Park, Warrington, developed under a UKAEA-funded contract alongside Amentum’s investment. The facility supports lithium-based tritium-breeding technology development, addressing corrosion, materials compatibility and impurity control. Amentum’s specialist tritium capability complements this, enabling tritium testing with candidate breeder materials. These capabilities have already supported several fusion projects.

Working with digiLab, Amentum is developing a digital twin for lithium-based breeder technologies, combining experimental data, multiphysics simulations, machine learning and uncertainty quantification. The digital twin will predict corrosion, tritium generation and transport, and material degradation, with experimental results validating the models and simulations guiding further testing. This integrated approach reduces uncertainty, accelerates breeder design and improves operational readiness.

Engineering and programme delivery for fusion

Amentum's wider expertise encompasses systems integration, remote handling, digital engineering and complex programme delivery. Its work developing and qualifying plasma-facing components for ITER demonstrates how innovative materials and designs can progress into manufacturable, tested and qualified reactor components.

Through these capabilities and collaborations, Amentum is helping UKAEA and the wider fusion industry turn scientific advances into practical engineering solutions, supporting the development of commercially viable fusion energy.

Turning fusion from scientific achievement into a commercially viable energy source is one of the most demanding engineering challenges of our time. Drawing on over 40 years of experience supporting major fusion programmes, including JET, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) and ITER, Amentum brings specialist engineering and industrial delivery expertise to this endeavour.

As a long-standing UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) supplier, Amentum supports its fusion programmes through engineering and technology development, including as a supplier on multiple UKAEA frameworks.